Mini egg Easter doughnuts and a healthy Easter

I told people who lingered over the plate of these delights that they were healthy doughnuts – there’s yoghurt in them and they’re baked! Most people laughed at me, so I explained that they’re healthy-ish…healthier than a regular fried doughnut, anyway.

They’re kind of like a little cake doughnut, which you’ll know I’m a fan of if you’ve seen my earl grey or Nutella doughnuts.
I like the idea that you can eat seconds because they’re a tiny bit better for you. I stress teeny tiny. Did I mention that I’ve started a little health kick?

Right before Easter, because I’m clearly an idiot. Or a glutton for punishment. Or both.

Either way, I’m trying to be a little more mindful about what I eat, which is hard when my life revolves around baked goods. So I’m not going to deprive myself of baked goods, calm down, I just feel like jumping on the health-kick bandwagon a little late – any suggestions for great, healthy sweets I can indulge in? Send them my way, because Easter is coming.

Mini egg Easter doughnuts

Makes 30

Baked chocolate doughnuts

1 cup brown sugar

2 1/4 cups plain flour

1/4 cup cocoa

1 tsp bicarb

80g butter, melted

1.5 tsp teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

2/3 cup Greek yoghurt

2/3 cup milk

White chocolate icing

300g white chocolate

1/2 tsp vanilla

Assorted food colouring

250g mini eggs

1/4 cup sprinkles

Mix your dry ingredients together and then pour the butter and vanilla in, mixing to combine. Whisk your eggs together briefly and mix them in, followed by the yoghurt and milk.

Preheat your oven to 180°C and grease a 12 capacity doughnut pan.

Scoop your mixture into a piping bag and pipe into your doughnut pan – only fill the molds about 1/2 way, these babies will rise.

Pop in the oven for 14 minutes and turn out onto a cooling rack to cool.

When your doughnuts are completely cool, melt your chocolate in a heat proof bowl set over a boiling pan of water. Remove from the heat when there are still a few lumps left – the residual heat will melt the lumps – so that you don’t but the chocolate. Mix in your vanilla.

If you’re using colouring, divide your chocolate evenly into four bowls and squeeze a drop or two of liquid food colouring into your bowl. Don’t overdo it, you’re aiming for subtle, pastel colours. My colours came from House and they’re Americolor gel paste. I legitimately love them.

To ice your doughnuts, set yourself up in a processing line with a cooling rack, melted chocolate and toppings. Take a doughnut, dip the top of it deep into the melted chocolate, let the excess dribble off while still upside down. Give it a flick of the wrist so that your doughnut is not iced side up; the wrist flick will make sure you don’t get too many drizzles down the side of the doughnut. Place the doughnut on your cooling rack and top with whatever topping you desire.

I chose sprinkles and mini eggs (not that I need an excuse for colourful sugary treats, but they are Easter appropriate). Repeat until finished.

Don’t be afraid to pack the deliciousness into your doughnuts – the more toppings, the better!